Pathways To Sleep - Night 3 - Progressive Muscle Relaxation

Tonight, we calm the nervous system with the breath and then work through the body to let go of tensions held in different areas. Often, we are not aware of this tension, so it's great to have the opportunity to deliberately let go of them. They are then less likely to interfere with our sleep.

Length: 8 minutes

Transcript

It's wonderful to have you back for night three. Getting in your comfortable lying down position. We'll start with some short breathing techniques and then move into progressive muscle relaxation. This practice allows you to give your body permission to genuinely relax, To let go of tension. Often our muscles stay switched on or contracted and we don't even notice we're holding so much tension. So this is a nice reset to have before bedtime. We'll begin with our belly breathing. Getting the belly moving with the breath. Breathing in and out through the nose. Being mindful of the rise and fall of your belly. Tuning in deeply to your breath and moving into that relaxing ratio of the three second inhale and the five second exhale. Allowing that lengthened exhale to guide you into a deeper state of relaxation. And letting go of the breath. Allowing it to return to its natural rhythm. We'll begin our progressive muscle relaxation. We'll start around the forehead and the eyes. I invite you to squeeze your eyes closed. Take a big inhale for the next five seconds. Squeezing them tightly. Five, Four, Three, Two, One. Exhaling, Release and relax the face. Now we'll move into the tongue. Pressing your tongue up against the roof of your mouth, Just behind your top front teeth. Take a big inhale. Squeezing it there. Pressing five, Four, Three, Two, One. Exhaling, Relax and release. Now squeezing your shoulders up towards your ears. Holding them high and tight. Pushing them into your ears. Take a big inhale. Five, Four, Three, Two, One. Exhaling, Relax. Soften them back down away from your ears. We'll move down to your hands. Making fists with your hands. Holding tight. Take a big inhale. Strong, Tight grip. Holding five, Four, Three, Two, One. Exhaling, Release. Open out the hands and relax. Moving down to your belly. Tensing your belly, Your abdominal wall. Take a big inhale. Tensing it tight for five, Four, Three, Two, One. Exhaling, Relax and release. Moving to your bum cheeks. Squeezing them together. Take a big inhale. Tightly, Tightly. Five, Four, Three, Two, One. Exhaling, Relax and release. Now pointing your toes towards your knees. Your hamstrings and shins will tighten. Take a big inhale. Keep pointing. Five, Four, Three, Two, One. Exhaling, Relax, Release. Now we'll point the toes in the opposite direction. Away from our knees, Forward. Take a big inhale. Feel the calves and the thighs engage. Contract for five, Four, Three, Two, One. Exhaling, Release, Relax. Now to relax the deep core. Push your heels down into the surface. Take your inhale. Keep pushing your heels in. Feel your deep core engage. Hold. Five, Four, Three, Two, One. Exhale, Relax, Release. Returning now to gentle belly breathing. Encouraging that rise and fall of your belly once more. Five more nourishing, Deep belly breaths. Acknowledging yourself for practicing. Look forward to seeing you tomorrow.